Alexander marcy



(N0 Modell) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

A. MAROY.

TRANSPOSING KEY BOARD.

No. 461,616. Patented 00t.20,1891.

Witnwsw Inventor.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. MAROY.

TRANSPOSING KEY 130111111.

116. 461,616. PatentGd 061. 20, 1891.

Wdtnewes. Inventor.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC ALEXANDER MARCY, OF CLINTON, ONTARIO, CANADA.

TRANSPOSING KEY-BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 461,616, dated October20, 1 891.

I Application filed August 28, 1889. Serial No. 322,269. No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER MARCY, a commercial traveler, and acitizen of the United States, residing in Clinton, in the county ofHuron, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Transposing Piano-Actions and Key-Boards forOverstrung Piano-Scales; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the same, and that the same hasnever been patented by myself or others in this or any other countrywith my knowledge or consent.

Piano-actions have connecting lifters or bearers to connect theaction-with the keys, andin all over-strung piano-scales having thebass-strings crossing at an angle above or in front of the treble thereis one or more vacant spaces between the hammers in the actions. Thesevacant spaces extend down to the keys, so that there is a vacant spacebetween the connecting lifters or bearers and also between the keys.

My invention consists of making piano-actions, key-frames, andkey-boards for any of the various piano-scales with overstrun g bass,-

so that the key-frame and keys may be moved to the right and left forthe purpose of transposing the music and leave the keys in position towork the actions. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of aportion of an upright piano, the front casing removed to exhibit theaction and the application of my invention thereto. Fig. 2 is across-section of the key-frame, keys, and supportingt'rame of a piano,exhibiting the key-frame, keys, key-guard, &e.,in position and thedotted lines their position when ready to be moved to the right or left.Fig. 3 is a plan of a portion of the keys, key-frame, keyguard, &c.,exhibiting their position when transposed or moved to the left on themain or supporting frame. Figs. 4. and 5 are respectively side and frontelevations of one form of connecting lifters or bearers to exhibit thedifferent forms of deflection I employ to overcome the space between thehammers and connecting lifters or bearers caused by the overstrungscale. Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively side and front elevations of otherforms of lifters or bearers used in pianos, the lifters or bearers beingon top exhibiting the deflections, as in Figs. 4: and 5. Figs. 8 and 9are similar views to exhibit my application to the case of lifters orbearers sometimes used in piano-actions.

Similar figures refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The supporting-frame A in my improved piano differs only essentiallyfrom others in respect of being placed slightly lower relative to thekey-levers, &c., in order to admit the key-frame B resting upon therocking bar a, placed longitudinally on the said supporting-frame A. Thekey-frame B is a rectangular frame, as shown in portions exhibited inFigs. 1 and 8, and has the usual rocking bar B, upon which thekey-levers C rest,with surplus keys on each end, or more keys than thereare lifters or bearers L in the action. Along the under side of theledge aisecured to the strip a of the supporting-frame A, is secured aguide-strip D, of metal, preferably having holes therein correspondingwith the chromatic scale, and the keys into which the pin E, projectingfrom the key-frame B, enters and secures the frame B in whateverposition desired. A similar strip D and pin E are employed at the rearside of the key-frame -B; but their positions are reversed, the strip Dbeing secured to the ledge a secured to and forming part of the strip a,which is part of the supporting-frame A, while the pin E is secured tothe top of the key-frame B. The lifts F, secured at convenient pointsalong the key-frame B are used to move the key frame and keys to theright and left for the purpose of transposing the music. The keyguard Gis similar to those in use, and is secured to the key-frame 13 and moveswith it to the right and left. On the ends of the key-guard G is formeda casingH, sliding or telescoping in the portion of the pianocasing I toinclose the casing in a desirable way. The key-slip J is the ordinaryform in use, and upon which the casing I is formed partly at its ends.

The different forms of connecting lifter. or bearers K, K, K L, L, and Land r and M in piano-actions for overstrung scale through which motionis communicated to the action from the key-levers C in myimprovedaotion, all diverge from the center of the key-board, givingthem about equal spacing at the lower end, so as to correspond with thekeys, as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 1 shows two sections with one vacant oropen space between the hammers. here there are three sections in theaction the center section is fitted with straight lifters or bearers ofthe ordinary forms used generally. The lifters or bearers in the outsidesections deflect toward the center, as shown in Fig. 1, giving all thesame spacing.

The connecting lifters or bearers K and L shown in Figs. 4 to 7 areexhibited as deflecting or offsetting to the right by right-angledoffsets K and L in Figs. 5 and 7, the reverse curve K and L, and byangular slants K and L respectively, in dotted lines, or they may haveany other suitable form given them desirable. Thoseon theleft end of thepiano will deflect 0r offset to the right, and

those 011 the right end of the piano will defiect or offset to the left,so as to have about equal spacing at the lower end, as shown in Fig. 1.

lVhen connecting lifters or bearers M are employed, as in Figs-8 and 9,they (the upper and lower lifters or bearers) are made longer than usualto allow of offsetting by curves of any suitable form. The reversecurves M and M are shown as applied.

The connecting lifters or bearers L and M may defiect'any way desired tocorrespond with the keys, and may be made of wood or any other suitablematerial.

In atransposingpiano-action and key-board for overstrnng piano-scalesthere is an additional half-octave or less of surplus keys 0, Fig. 3, oneach end of the key-board more than there are lifters or bearers L, Fig.1, so that when the middle O-key near the center of the piano is movedfrom its proper place five degrees or semi-tones to the right thesurplus keys 0 on the left end of the key-board will be in use and thesurplus keys on the right end of the key-board will be under the casingor key-blocks H and I, Fig. 3, and when it is moved from its properplace six degrees or semi-tones to the left the surplus keyC on theright end of the key-board will be in use and the surplus keys on theleft end will be under the casing or key-blocks Hand I, Fig. 1.

In transposing piano-actions and keyboards for overstrung piano-scalesthe keys 0, Fig. 3, are made straight, and the back end, where theyconnect with the connecting lifters or bearers L, Fig. 1, and M, Fig. 9,is spaced so as to correspond with the spacing of the lifters or bearersL and M, so that the key-frame and keys may be moved to the right orleft and have each of the keys come directly under the lifters orbearers L and M and work the action.

In transposing piano-actions and keyboards for over-strung piano-scalesthe movable key-guard G, Fig. 1, is a narrow strip passing over the keysat the back end of the black keys. Each end is fastened to the keyframe,and it moves to the right and left with the key-frame and keys, as shownin Fig. 3.

I am not aware that prior to myinvention of any means that has ever beenknown or used to transpose music with piano key-boards and actions onoverstrung piano-scales. There fore Vhat I do claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. I11 transposing piano-actions and keyboards for overstrungpiano-scales, the combination of the connecting lifters or bearers inpiano-actions deflecting to the right and left so as to give them aboutequal spacing where they connnect with the keys, as shown and described,for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, in transposing pianoactions and keyboards foroverstrung pianoscales, of the connecting lifters or bearers deflectingto the right and left, the half-octave or less of surplus keys, theoctave or less of surplus keys, the straight keys with the back endabout equally spaced, the movable keyguard G, the movable key-frame A,the movable keys O, and. the movable lifts F, as shown and described,for the purposes set forth.

Clinton, Ontario, August 19, 1889.

ALEXANDER MARCY.

Witnesses:

II. B. CHANT, W. HOLLOWAY.

